Shoe-lace fastener.



F. H. ULREY.

SHOE LACf FASTENEH.

APPLICATION mzo Auwr. ms.

1,274,220. 2 Patented July 30, 1918.

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FRANK H. ULREY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

slice-LACE FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1918.

Application filed August 17, 1916. Serial No. 115,360.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. Union, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-LaceF asteners, (If which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in shoe lace fasteners, and theprimary object of my improvement is, to provide a simple, eflicient anddurable construction/got the class.

A further object of my present improvemht'is to afford suitable grip"means to re-J vent the shoe string becoming loosene nnfastened.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thenovel features and in the novel combination and arrange ment of theparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and particularly pointedout in the claims hereunto appended it being understood that changes,variations and modifications in the details of the invention within thescope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, hence I do limit myinvention to the exact details of the construction and arrangement ofthe parts shown and described.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the front upper part of a shoe having myinvention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view as it comes from the die.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the fastener after being formed.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on line 44 on Fig. 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the top section raised.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on line 66 on g i h m numerals and lettersrefer to simil parts thfQugllOllt the several views. I

I th b d ment chosen to exemphfy my invention, A di'l h pp r frontportion of a shoe, with 11?) mR VGd Snapfastcner B attached thereto,lacing hooks C of the usual form and laces D are emp oyed. In accordancewith my present invention there is a base portion 7 an ntermediate part8, and a top section 9, consisting of a length of sheet steel to presentitself in the form of parallel intermediate and base portionshereinafter more fully described.

Suitable lateral prongs 10 serve to secure the fastener to the shoe orother supporting body. The opening 11 through the annular raised portion12 in the base member 7 affords aclearance for the stud 19 of the snapfastener. The annular raised portion 13 of the intermediate part 8 hasan opening 14. which registers with the opening 11 through theannularraised portion 12.

The resilient socket member or element l5 consisting of a length ofsteel wire fold- 'ed with its free ends 20 disposed inwardly andadjacent to each other, and mounted between the raised portions 12, 13serves as one member of the snap faslener.

The points or slightly raised places 16, 17 in the opposing surfaces ofthe top section 9 and the intermediate portion 8 serve as grip means tohold the shoe laces l) in a desired position, thus avoiding thenecessity for tying operation in securing the laces in the usual way.

The hollow portion 18 of the male member of the snap fastenerprcfcral'ily is filled with lacquer or other suitable substance infinishing the fastener. The adjacent free ends 20 of the element 15forms the female member of the fastener and is operated in the mannercommon to snap fasteners extent.

Preferably the end 21 is curved to obviate breaking from use.

The raised portions 12, 13 are frusto conical in form and in differentplanes and register with each other, the portion 12 being within theportion 13 and the axial openings 11, 14, register with each other andform a passage for the free end of the male member 19 to move into snapengagement when projected between the free ends 20 of the yieldingmember 15. In my present construetion, preferably there is employed alength of thin sheet steel of suitable width folded or bent upon itselfto form what is termed top, intermediate and base portions, the baseportion being provided with prongs 10 to secure it to the supportingbody. The intermediate and base members or portions each being formedwith axially apertured frusto-conical portions 12, 13, which provide amounting between the adjacent ends thereof for the yielding snap member15,

ance between the freeendof theinember 19 and the suporting body A towhich the fastener is secured. This is animportant feature of myinvention. lhe curved end of'fold 21 is yielding andgives-a long term ofusefulness. The base and intermediate portions are parallel to eachother.

It will be observed there is an absence of hinge or pivot connection andthe device is adapted to rapid practical manufacture.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patenttis:

l. A shoe lace fastener consisting of a length of sheet steel to presentitself in the form of parallel intermediate and base portions each beingformed with axially apertured frustoconical portions registering witheach other.

2. A shoe lace fastener consisting of a in the form ofparallelintermediate .tlltl linso portions each being formed with :ixinllapertured frusto-conieal portions registm ing with each other and havingpositioned therebetween a yielding snap member and a top portion havinga male member of a snap fastening for engagement with the yielding snapmember.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK H. ULREY.

Witnesses SoomnM. HOGAN, H. A. MOSHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing.the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

